Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomless than the son, in order to persuade us to give heed to Him, not by reason of His miracles, butof His teaching. For miracles are not for the faithful, but for the unbelieving and the grosser sort.[3.] At that time then, owing to his emotion, the nobleman gave no great heed to the words, orto those only which related to his son, 937 yet he would afterwards recollect what had been said, anddraw from thence the greatest advantage. As indeed was the case.But what can be the reason why in the case of the centurion He by a free offer undertook tocome, while here though invited, He goeth not? Because in the former case faith had been perfected,and therefore He undertook to go, that we might learn the rightmindedness of the man; but herethe nobleman was imperfect. When therefore he continually 938 urged Him, saying, “Come down,”and knew not yet clearly that even when absent He could heal, He showeth that even this waspossible unto Him in order that this man might gain from Jesus not going, that knowledge whichthe centurion had of himself. 939 And so when He saith,“ Except ye see signs and wonders, ye willnot believe,” His meaning is, “Ye have not yet the right faith, but still feel towards Me as towardsa Prophet.” Therefore to reveal Himself and to show that he ought to have believed even withoutmiracles, He said what He said also to Philip, “Believest thou 940 that the Father is in Me and I inthe Father? 941 Or if not, believe Me for the very works’ sake.” ( c. xiv. 10, 11 .)Ver. 51–53 . “And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thyson liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him,Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour inthe which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house.”Seest thou how evident the miracle was? Not simply nor in a common way was the child freedfrom danger, but all at once, so that what took place was seen to be the consequence not of nature,but the working 942 of Christ. For when he had reached the very gates of death, as his father showedby saying, “Come down ere my child die”; he was all at once freed from the disease. A fact whichroused the servants also, for they perhaps came to meet their master, not only to bring him the goodnews, but also deeming that the coming of Jesus was now superfluous, (for they knew that theirmaster was gone there,) and so they met him even in the way. The man released from his fear,thenceforth escaped 943 into faith, being desirous to show that what had been done was the resultof his journey, and thenceforth he is ambitious of appearing not to have exerted himself 944 to nopurpose; so he ascertained all things exactly, and “himself believed and his whole house.” For theevidence was after this unquestionable. For they who had not been present nor had heard Christspeak nor known the time, when they had heard from their master that such and such was the time,had incontrovertible demonstration of His power. Wherefore they also believed.What now are we taught by these things? Not to wait for miracles, nor to seek pledges of thePower of God. I see many persons even now become more pious, 945 when during the sufferings of937Morel. “ and regarded only what was taking place concerning his son. ”938ἄ νω καὶ κάτω939οἴκοθεν940ms. in Bodl. reads, “ He said this as (He said) to the disciples, ‘ Believe, ’ ” &c.941ἐ γὼ ἐν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί . G. T. and Ben.942ἐ νεργείας943διέκυψε944lit. “ been aroused. ”945εὐλαβεστέρους190